


Let Me Go

by buckyismymainman



Series: Avengers Oneshots [69]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Major character death - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckyismymainman/pseuds/buckyismymainman
Summary: Clint broke up with you without a reason why.  Years later you finally get your answer
Relationships: Clint Barton/Reader
Series: Avengers Oneshots [69]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1314041
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Let Me Go

You could remember the day Clint ended things with you. It had been an average day, your only day off in months and he had looked at you and said, “It’s over. I can’t do this anymore.” **  
**

You had sat there for a moment completely stunned and asked, “Why?”

You never got an answer. Never told you the reason behind it. You were in love one moment and then tossed aside the next. What really killed you was when you discovered some years later that he was married. You were helping the Avengers when Tony and Bruce created Ultron. It was all hands on deck and you were one of the best agents that SHIELD had ever seen.

“Guys, this is my wife, Laura,” he had smiled awkwardly and you just stood there frozen to the spot. Natasha, who was still suffering from whatever the enhanced woman had done to her, subtly squeezed your hand. She knew that your breakup with Clint had been hard on you.

You had stumbled outside and slid down a tree. The day couldn’t have gotten any worse. Clint had a wife and two kids with another on the way. “Y/N, right?” Her voice made you pause in your pity party and look up. She had an awkward smile on her face and you pushed yourself to your feet. “He talks about you sometimes,” she said. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

It wasn’t Laura’s fault for what had happened between you and Clint. “I’m not gonna lie, it does hurt,” you told her. “Is he happy?”

Laura nodded her head, “He is. He’s really good at being domestic which seems odd because he’s a spy.” The two of you chuckled, but it died off quickly. “Will you be all right here?”

It touched you that Laura was concerned about your feelings, “Yeah, Clint and I haven’t been a thing for years. I think a part of me will always love him, but I’m not in love with him. It’s just seeing you and wondering if this could have been us hit him kind of hard. It’s been a shit day and this was the last thing I expected.”

“I understand,” she said. “I’ll leave you alone. If you need anything don’t be afraid to ask.”

You and Clint never spoke about him being married, and you were glad. You didn’t want details.

INFINITY WAR - BATTLE OF WAKANDA 

You stared down the alien army as they tried to claw their way through the barrier. You wondered if this is where you died if this would be your last stand. You wondered briefly about Clint and how he was doing, if he was safe at home and if he knew what was happening. How could he not know?

T’Challa opened the barrier and a war cry rang through the crowd gathered all of you converging on the aliens as one. You fought, your body growing weary, but you pushed on. The world needed you to be strong and you were going to be strong.

Just when the scene couldn’t get any worse people turned to dust before your eyes. All around you your allies slowly disappeared. You and M’Baku shared a look with one another, eyes wide with shock. “Did we lose?” You asked him.

“I-I don’t know,” he responded, still in shock.

When you found Steve you learned that Thanos managed to accomplish what he was after. He wiped out half the population. You scrambled for a phone and called Clint, you had to know if he was okay.

“They’re gone,” he said, his voice broken and you collapsed to your knees.

“Clint, I’m so sorry,” you whispered.

The line went dead and you closed your eyes wishing there was something you could do.

ENDGAME - SOUL STONE

“One of you must give up the thing you love in order to obtain the soul stone,” the guardian said.

You were on a desolate cliff staring down at the bottom. Looking up you stared at the sky, it was beautiful here, you thought. In a strange sort of peaceful way. You wondered how many had stood in the very spot you were in now unable to obtain what they were after. You looked back at Clint, he was trying to talk to the guardian, trying to decide if this was some kind of trick.

You knew it wasn’t a trick. Thanos had gotten the soul stone by sacrificing his daughter. One of you would need to do the same.

“Clint,” at the sound of your voice he turned. “I need to know something.” You moved closer to him and took his hands in yours. “Why did you leave me all those years ago?”

Clint looked at you in confusion, “Why do you want to know this now?”

You squeezed his hands, “Just tell me.”

“I knew they were going to offer you the job in Europe. I knew that you wanted that position, we had talked about it when we first got together. I wasn’t going to get in your way,” he kissed your forehead and you closed your eyes. “I wanted to see you fulfill your dream, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to stay because of me.”

“You’re an idiot,” you said with a soft laugh because of course he would try and be noble. “You could have talked to me about it.”

“I didn’t just do it for you,” he admitted. “I was afraid of where we would go after that. I didn’t want us to grow to resent one another. I just wanted you to live out your dreams and you did. You did amazing leading the field office in London, just as I knew you would.”

You smiled at him, “And you got to finally have your dream of a family.” You pulled him in for a hug, “When you see them again, give them a hug for me yeah?”

“Y/N, what?” He began as you tore yourself away from him and went running for the cliff. You were gonna make sure Clint got to see his family again. He screamed your name, but then it was over.

There was nothing.

Laura stared at Clint as he stared out the window, “Y/N wouldn’t want you to be like this.”

Clint dropped his head, “They deserved a lot more than what they got.”

Laura wrapped her arms around Clint and kissed his back, “I know, and I wish they could be here too, but they did this for you and for everyone else. Don’t let their sacrifice be in vain.”

Clint nodded his head, “I won’t, it’s still hard though.”

It took Clint a while to move on from the loss of you. Wondering if there was another way, if he could go back and save you. But slowly over time his friends helped pick the pieces back up and one day he finally worked up the courage to visit your grave.

He stood there, a bouquet of flowers in his hands, tears streaming down his face, “Thank you.” He laid the flowers on the headstone and slowly made his way back to the car. He wouldn’t let your sacrifice be in vain, and he vowed to honor you in some way every day he lived.


End file.
